


An Unlikely Duet

by Zara_Zara



Series: Lawlight Week 2020 [6]
Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, L being a difficult for no reason, M/M, Music, Pianist L, Pianist Light, lol, rivals to friends to lovers speedrun, they are students
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:13:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23902135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zara_Zara/pseuds/Zara_Zara
Summary: Just because Light and L were the best piano students in their entire class, and arguably the entire college, that did not mean they were well-suited for partnering in a duet.
Relationships: L/Yagami Light
Series: Lawlight Week 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1715836
Comments: 2
Kudos: 80





	An Unlikely Duet

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is for the 2020 lawlight week event. The prompt is #6 Keys/Chains  
> The song Light and L duet is Beethoven 5th Symphony 1st movement. The video I got inspired by was this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIkG0GkrSjs  
> I just think that this song is perfectly dramatic like these two. XD

Just because Light and L were the best piano students in their entire class, and arguably the entire college, that did not mean they were well-suited for partnering in a duet. 

Admittedly, Light did not know L very well at all because they had hardly ever spoken to each other in their classes. And when he found out that they were going to be partnered up to play a duet during the university’s winter recital, he had been more than a little intrigued to interact with his long-time rival.

But then he met the man and ended up vehemently disliking him within the first two minutes of their official acquaintance. Light had never met anyone else with an arrogance to match his own, and being introduced to that kind of attitude from someone else infuriated him in a way unlike any other. It was not that L’s arrogance was misplaced; he was a very talented pianist, and Light had always silently respected him for his skill on the ivory instrument. But it seemed as if his skill hardly mattered to him at all.

As soon as Light heard of their assignment, Light had been hoping that he and L could sit down and pick a song to duet as soon as possible because Light wanted to make sure they had plenty of time to practice before their recital. He heard there were going to be many important people attending the event and Light dearly wanted to impress them.

After class ended, Light found L slouching his way out of the classroom door so Light rushed after him and said, “Lawliet, I don’t believe we’ve been properly acquainted. My name is Yagami Light, I---”

“I know who you are,” L drawled, and Light blinked in surprise at being interrupted and then he narrowed his eyes as he saw that the man almost looked bored. Not to mention, he just interrupted Light, which was something he could never tolerate.

Determined to remain polite Light said, “Apologies, it appears you are in a rush to go somewhere and I’ve caught you at a bad time.”

“I can’t say if I’m in a rush, but I am going somewhere.”

“Are you now?”

“Yes,” When L saw that Light was still following him he side-eyed him and asked, “Can I help you with something?”

Light’s eye twitched, “Yes, I wanted to ask you for your availability. The sooner we start practicing Beethoven’s 5th symphony the better, I believe.”

“I see, of course,” L chewed on his nail, “I’m not free till the 24th.”

Light was gobsmacked by that news and cried, “That’s a week from the recital’s date!”

L looked at him with wide eyes and said, “I believe that’s more than enough time for us to practice with our skillset. Don’t you agree, Light?”

Light had never hated anyone more in his life. If he said no then that would mean he wasn't confident in his own skill, and Light was _very_ confident of his talent in the piano. But that hardly meant that he found it reasonable to prepare for their big recital with so little time. “What on Earth will you be busy doing till then? You must have some time in the following weeks for us to practice.”

“I’m afraid my business is none of your concern and if you don’t think this will work we can ask for a partner exchange. Although, I must admit that I don’t think I’ll enjoy playing a duet half as much with anyone else but you. If you’ll excuse me, my next class is right here. We’ll talk more on Wednesday.” L slipped away into his class with nary an apologetic glance and left Light fuming outside that door for ten solid minutes.

Light could hardly believe L Lawliet’s audacity and selfishness. Sure, they were both very talented musicians, but that did not mean that they were certain to play excellently together.   
  


***

Next time they met, Light pierced L with a glare that was meant to shame him and said, “I’ve decided to still do the duet with you.”

L was sitting with a couple of other students in the college’s cafeteria and he was snacking on something disgustingly sweet, “I am pleased to hear it.”

Light crossed his arms, “However, I need to be sure that you will hold up your end of the practice.”

“I assure you, I’ve already started learning my part,” L offered him a piece of his chocolate bar monstrosity, “Would you care for some?”

Light shook his head and L resumed biting into his chocolate, “I don’t want to be humiliated in front of the whole school.”

The blond boy who sat beside L visibly rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath too low to hear.

L only spared his friend a glance before saying, “You shouldn’t worry, Light. I am 100% confident that we will be fine,” Looking at his partner, Light was beginning to think it was a hopeless cause. It didn’t help that the man had chocolate on his mouth and was wearing the same sloppy clothes that Light last saw him in.

Light muttered, “You better be right.”

L’s gray eyes flashed with confidence and he steadfastly said, “Rest assured, I am very rarely, if ever, wrong,” Light would be inclined to believe him if L hadn’t just started to unwrap another bar of chocolate like a child. L gestured at the empty seat beside him, “Would you like to sit down?”

Light eyed the seat and actually considered it for a moment. He noticed the looks L’s friends were giving him and he didn’t care for being an object of curiosity or for being a disturbance, so he said, “No, thank you,” Light pointedly added, “I’m going to go practice.”

“Alright, maybe next time.”

Noncommittally, Light said, “Maybe,” and then left.

***

As promised, Light and L met up to practice their duet the week before the event. In the weeks interim, Light had first memorized his half of the song, and then he learned L’s half for good measure. He wasn’t exactly surprised to find that L had done the same exact thing.

The first couple days they practiced the song together was admittedly clumsy. Light sat on the right side of the piano bench while L took the left half. There was a good amount of space between them so that their elbows wouldn’t knock together, but somehow Light felt they were still too close. He had also been distracted by a sweet smell he had quickly realized was coming from L. The man smelled like the chocolates and candy he incessantly snacked on and even if Light didn’t have a sweet tooth, it sometimes made him crave something sweet like an understated red vine or a slice of orange. It was annoying.

When L had tried sneakily snacking on a bag of candy while in the middle of playing, Light had banned him from doing such a thing. He didn’t want the piano keys to get sticky. Each day, L tried bribing him to lift the ban with various candies but Light was firm on saving their snacks for outside of the classroom. L was dangerously close however, when he offered Light a red honey crisp apple. Light did not accept the clear bribe. But on that day, Light had left their session and found that L had slipped it into his bag when he wasn’t looking. The next day, Light had okay-ed non-sticky candy on the condition that L washed his hands before touching the keys.

While practicing, the two of them decided to try and go at a slower tempo. Keeping the first measures synchronized was hard but they had grinned in delight when they were finally able to do it at the same time at the correct tempo. Together, they’d play the dramatic chords of the beginning of the piece and then work through the song in fits and starts of irregularity and smoothness. It took them two days to make it through the first half of the song at the correct brisk tempo. And then it took them the rest of the week up until the recital to master the whole song.

Through it all, Light found he liked working on the duet with L and he was almost sad when it came time to perform their duet live. He liked watching L practice his parts as his long-fingered hands flew across the keys. It was almost reminiscent of when Light was younger and would watch his more experienced piano teacher present their skills to him. Light also liked the fact that L would straighten his back into the very definition of a perfect posture when he played piano. It made him look regal and striking. It bemused Light to find that he still found L striking even when the man was in his usual old man’s posture.

One time L had caught Light staring at him and asked him why. Light had been mortified to find that he had no explanation to give him other than the fact that he had been admiring his profile and skill. Of course, Light didn’t tell him _that_. But he told him he had chocolate on his face---which he didn’t---and Light had gently wiped that imaginary mark away for him. He had deeply blushed when he found that L was staring at him the whole time with a strangely intense expression. For a distraction, Light had quickly shuffled their music sheets and said he wanted to practice a series of measures he thought they needed to study still. They started playing again and Light had felt curiously disappointed, as if he had just missed a good opportunity.

The night of the recital was very exciting. Light had heard rumors that there were indeed a couple representatives from various prestigious symphonies there looking to scout for talent. Everyone was dressed in their best clothes, and to Light’s pleasant surprise, that included L.

“What are you wearing?” Light had asked him while looking up and down L's nice black suit.

L had looked vaguely uncomfortable at Light’s attention and awkwardly picked at his jacket, “I believe you said you didn’t want to be humiliated.”

Light actually felt touched and he nervously reached for L’s arm, “You look nice, L.”

“You think so?” L looked at him from behind his bangs, uncharacteristically shy.

“I’m not going to repeat it again. You heard me perfectly well.”

The corner of L’s mouth lifted and L hid his smile behind his thumb, “I think you look nice too, Light.”

Light muttered his thanks feeling warmth bloom on his cheeks. They refused to look at each other’s eyes and pretended to be engrossed in their music sheets. Light's heart beat wildly as his eyes blindly read the notes he knew by heart; he wondered if L felt the same.

Light felt a brief fit of anxiety powerfully hit him before it was time for him and L to step on the stage. They hid behind the curtains and were waiting for the current performers to finish their set and cue their turn. Light nervously wringed his hands together and kept his back ramrod stiff as a reminder to keep his cool. His heart lurched into his throat when he recognized the final notes of the current performer’s song and then it jumped even higher when he felt L timidly touch his hand. Light sucked in a breath and looked at his partner who was trying to give him a reassuring look through his eyes. “We’ll be great, Light,” L squeezed Light’s hand once, and then he let go when Light nodded.

Seconds later it was time for them to play.

They slid into their places on the smooth piano bench and Light found it comforting to have L’s sweet and warm presence by his side. He couldn’t see the crowd due to the spotlight washing them in silver, but it felt as if the auditorium were empty and it was just him and L going to play for a thousand empty seats.

Light was proud when they striked the first dramatic chords of the song as perfect as thunder. Their hands practically assaulted the piano keys with the passion of the song that they skillfully weaved together. Light felt sweat start to bead on his forehead with the energy he was throwing into the sonorous sounds of the piano. At times he felt L’s elbow brush against his, but each time that happened he knew to expect it with the hours that they had practiced the song together. The song truly sounded like a conversation between the two of them. Light would whip a few quick chords and then L would meet him in turn. What the topic of their conversation was was a mystery, but it had a hell of an electricity and inferno to it.

Like a jet sliding into landing, Light and L brought their duet to a perfect end.

Applause showered from the sky but all Light could see was L and the delighted grin of triumph they shared between them.

When Light and L were exiting the stage but still behind the privacy of the curtains, L turned to Light and smugly said, “I told you we could do it.”

Riding the high of triumph, Light threw his arms around L and said, “I never doubted,” and then he kissed him. He felt L breathe in sharply from shock before returning Light’s kiss with an intensity that made Light’s knees feel weak. L had his hands on Light’s waist and broke their kiss to say, “Me neither.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment if you liked!
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr @lightsredapple I'll be posting fic updates and such there.


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